Portion capsule

ABSTRACT

The portion capsule includes an outer beaker with a cover and with a chamber, which is formed in the inside of the beaker and which has a soluble substance as well as a middle axis. Furthermore, an injection element, which delimits the chamber to a cover side or to a base side and which includes at least one injection opening, is also present. The injection opening is designed such that fluid, which is delivered through it in the direction of the chamber, is injected as a jet into the chamber, the jet running in a plane that runs through the middle axis and at an angle to the middle axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of systems for preparing drinks by way of fluid that is introduced into a drinks capsule. In particular, it relates to a portion capsule, which includes a soluble foodstuff substance, from which a drink or a drink constituent can be prepared by way of injecting water.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Amongst the systems for preparing drinks, so-called coffee capsules systems (there are also variants for the preparation of tea) are known, concerning which generally hot water mostly under pressure is introduced into a capsule, in order to prepare a drink, for example by way of extraction. Capsules that are compatible, for example, with coffee capsule systems are also known, wherein these however instead of an extraction material contain a soluble substance, for example milk powder, in order to prepare a drinks constituent or a drink.

In contrast to capsules filled with extraction material, concerning capsules with a soluble content, a pressure which during the complete preparation process drops across the material contained in the capsule and which ensures that the capsule contents are well impregnated with the introduced fluid cannot be built up in the inside of the capsule in a simple manner. Other measures must be undertaken in order to ensure a good thorough mixing and a uniform dissolving of the capsule contents.

In EP 1 659 909 it has been suggested to inject the fluid into a chamber that contains the foodstuff substance, at an angle to a vertical middle plane. This is effected so that a swirling (vortex) movement around the middle point of the chamber is created, such movement effecting a mixing of the fluid with the substance—similarly to the stirring in a cup. The means effecting such an injecting can be present on the machine side or be integrated into the capsule. This solution may function well in many cases. However, given such a regular swirling movement, there is always a swirling core or vortex core, in which no stirring takes place. Furthermore, the vortex movement under certain circumstances cannot develop to an adequate extent in the outer region of the chamber due to the friction with the beaker wall, which is why a sufficiently homogeneous dissolving behaviour does not result for all configurations (depending on the capsule geometry, material contents, injection pressure and water temperature).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a portion capsule with a soluble substance that permits a good and extensive as possible dissolving of the substance when water is injected.

The capsule according to an aspect of the invention forms an outer beaker with a cover and with a chamber, which is formed in the inside of the beaker and which is with the soluble substance. A capsule middle axis runs through the cover and the beaker base, thus for example essentially perpendicularly to the cover. The beaker and the cover can be essentially rotationally symmetrical about the middle axis, wherein however other, for example cubic capsule shapes are not to be ruled out. The capsule includes an injection element, which delimits the chamber to the cover side or to the beaker base side and which includes at least one injection opening, the injection opening being designed such that fluid, which is delivered through it, is injected into the chamber in a jet that runs in a plane through the middle axis and at an angle to the middle axis (i.e., not parallel to this).

In particular, the injection opening can be arranged close to the middle axis (for example, by not more that 20% of the capsule diameter, which is measured perpendicularly to the middle axis, at the height of the respective injection opening) and/or be designed such that the jet runs in the mentioned plane towards the middle axis, thus is injected towards the middle.

In particular, several such injection openings can be present, wherein these all fulfil the mentioned condition of the jet, which is produced by them running in a plane, which runs through the middle axis and running at an angle to the middle axis. By way of this, several fluid jets can be directed away from one another or towards one another on introducing the fluid.

Not only is a particularly thorough mixing achieved by way of the jet directions being distributed—for example in a uniform manner. The capsule is then also suitable for horizontal drinks preparation modules (i.e. modules, in which the capsules are guided with the middle axis roughly parallel to the horizontal), and specifically independently of the orientation of the capsule about its middle axis, since one can rule out for example only one jet resulting downwards or only one jet upwards and hence regions not coming into contact with the water.

On account of the procedure according to the invention, it is not an essentially laminar vortex which arises as in the state of the art, but a turbulent flow arises in the inside of the capsule. It has been found that a particularly good thorough mixing between the fluid and the soluble substance can be effected by way of this. The procedure acts in a particularly efficient manner if several injection openings are provided, in particular if these are directed in different directions.

In a group of embodiments, the injection element is designed as an element which is separate from the beaker and from the cover, so that an injection space forms between the capsule cover and the injection element or alternatively between the capsule base and the injection element. For example, an outwardly sealed cover can be present, the cover being able to be pierced for introducing the fluid, as is known per se from drinks preparation capsules.

However, as an alternative to the design of the injection element as a separate element, it is not ruled out for the injection element to be formed by the cover or the beaker base.

The discharge of the drink can also supplementarily or alternatively require a piercing—at the respective opposite side.

The chamber can optionally also include a sieve element that is separate from the beaker and from the cover, towards the other side—thus towards the base or cover, the sieve element delimiting the chamber to the side that lies opposite the injection element.

The angle of the jet to the middle axis in particular can be ±63°-68°, for example about 65°, 66° or 67°. It has been found that the thorough mixing effect is particularly good given such angles—the range can be defined as 45°-75°, especially 55° to 70°.

The injection openings are generally small, their diameter is, for example, between 0.5 and 2 mm, in particular approx. 1 mm, so that with the injection pressures of for example 5-15 bar, which are common with drinks preparation machines, a full jet in the desired direction results.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiment examples of the invention are hereinafter described by way of figures. There are shown:

FIG. 1 a view of the capsule according to the invention, without the capsule cover;

FIG. 2 a sectioned representation of the capsule with partly schematically represented elements;

FIG. 3 a view of the injection element from above; and

FIG. 4 a section along the plane A-A in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The capsule 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a beaker 2 and a cover 4 (see FIG. 2), which is not represented in FIG. 1 for the purpose of a better overview. The beaker and the cover can be manufactured from plastic in the manner known per se. However, the invention can also be applied to capsules of other materials, for example aluminium. The fastening of the cover to the beaker has likewise been carried out in the known manner, for example by way of ultrasonic welding or possibly by way of adhesive bonding.

An injection element 3, which is designed as an insert part, is fastened in the beaker 2. The fastening of the insert part to the beaker can be accomplished via a positive connection (for example, with a groove or other undercut structures in the beaker), via a non-positive connection (clamping/friction) and/or via a material connection (welding, bonding).

In the represented embodiment, the injection element 3 is present on sides of the cover and delimits the chamber 8, which is filled with the soluble substance (milk powder or the like), to the side of the cover, thus in FIG. 2 to the top. An injection space 5 forms between the cover 4 and the injection element 3.

The capsule can optionally yet include a sieve element 11, which delimits the chamber 8 to the other side—in FIG. 2 to the bottom, is permeable to the drink and in FIG. 2 is only represented in a very schematic and dashed manner. In such a case, a collecting region 12 forms between the sieve element 11 and the base (or the cover in reverse arrangement), from which collecting region the drink is discharged out of the capsule.

The injection element 3, which is represented in somewhat more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, includes a cone-shaped projection 6 that projects into the inside of the capsule and is central with respect to the middle axis 10. On the one hand, a perforation tip that injects in the water can be received into the region of this projection without the injection element getting damaged, inasmuch as the introduction of the fluid is effected via such. On the other hand the projection 6 includes the injection openings 7.

In the embodiment example that is described here, three of the injection openings are present, the injection directions of which forming an angle β of 120° to one another, thus being uniformly distributed in the peripheral direction. The angle a to the cover plane (the angle to the middle axis is accordingly 90°-(α)), is just short of 25°, and the diameter of the injection openings 7 is approx. 1 mm.

In FIG. 4, one can yet see an optional folded-over edge region 9 that is radially inwardly deformable in an elastic manner and can serve for the fastening of the injection element 3 in the capsule beaker.

The represented injection element is therefore designed such that the injection openings are arranged centrally with regard to the radial directions, i.e., in the proximity of the middle axis 10, and such that the jets, which are produced by them, run away from one another. Such an arrangement inevitably results on incorporating the injection openings 7 in the projection 6. In particular, if the injection openings are arranged in a peripheral manner, and an arrangement in which the jets run to one another in the direction of the middle axis is also an option.

Further embodiments are possible. 

1. A portion capsule with an outer beaker with a cover and with a chamber, the chamber being formed in an inside of the beaker and comprising a soluble substance and defining a middle axis, the capsule comprising an injection element, which delimits the chamber to a cover side or to a base side and comprises at least one injection opening, wherein the injection opening is designed such that fluid delivered through the injection opening in a direction of the chamber is injected as a jet into the chamber, said jet running in a plane which runs through the middle axis and runs at an angle to the middle axis.
 2. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the injection opening is remote from the middle axis by no more than 20% of the capsule diameter and/or is designed such that the jet runs towards the middle axis.
 3. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the injection element comprises a plurality of the injection openings.
 4. The portion capsule according to claim 3, wherein the injection element comprises three injection openings.
 5. The portion capsule according to claim 3, wherein the injection openings are uniformly distributed in the a peripheral direction.
 6. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the injection element forms a projection being directed towards the inside of the capsule and wherein the at least one injection opening is formed in the projection.
 7. The portion capsule according to claim 6, wherein the projection is cone-shaped.
 8. The portion capsule according to claim 6, wherein the projection is arranged centrally with respect to the middle axis.
 9. The portion capsule according claim 1, wherein the angle to the middle axis is between 45° and 75°.
 10. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the injection opening is between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.
 11. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the injection element is designed as an element, which is separate from the beaker and from the and which is fastened to the beaker and/or to the cover such that an injection space forms between the capsule cover and the injection element or alternatively between a capsule base and the injection element.
 12. The portion capsule according claim 1, wherein the soluble substance is milk powder.
 13. The portion capsule according to claim 7, wherein the projection is arranged centrally with respect to the middle axis.
 14. The portion capsule according claim 1, wherein the angle to the middle axis is between 60° and 70°.
 15. The portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the injection opening is between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm. 